As Chloe helps Jack sneak into Palmer’s apartment to look for clues, the CTU figures out he’s still alive; and Martha continues to insist that Palmer was trying to contact her about a matter of national security.

As the CTU sets up to storm the airport, the terrorists begin killing hostages; Jack scrambles to save Derek, who’s been selected as the next to die; and Martha searches for a transcript of Palmer’s phone call.

While being held captive by the terrorists, Jack tries to send a distress message to the CTU; Logan and Suvarov sign the arms treaty; and Martha continues trying, unsuccessfully, to get Logan’s attention.

While delivering the trigger chip to Erwich’s men, Jack is kidnapped and forced to help release some of the nerve gas at a shopping mall; and Martha is determined to tell the public about Cummings’ misconduct.

As Ostroff prepares to attack the motorcade, Logan learns Martha’s in the limousine but decides not to intervene; Audrey engineers Lynn’s removal from control of the CTU; and Jack falls into a trap at Omicron.

Martha struggles with her feelings after realizing Logan didn’t try to save her; Jack goes to Christopher Henderson’s home, looking for clues; and the CTU rushes to head off a nerve-gas release at a large hospital.

Jack refuses to believe Audrey cooperated with the terrorists; Bierko’s men prepare to release more Sentox at a gas distribution center; and Wayne Palmer flees the commandos who are trying to kill him.

As Homeland Security takes over the CTU, Jack and Wayne Palmer go after Christopher Henderson, who has kidnapped the young daughter of Martha Logan’s assistant; and Audrey signs away her own integrity to help Chloe keep her job.

Having secured President Logan’s incriminating tape, Jack delivers it to Secretary Heller; shockingly Heller turns on Jack, and in the process endangers Audrey; Jack must choose between her life and the vital recording.

Chloe is secretly helped by an unexpected source at CTU while Jack, trapped on a plane bound for Germany, franticly searches for the tape recording; to protect his presidency, Logan must give his most desperate order yet.

To avoid being shot down by presidential order, Jack forces an emergency landing on an LA freeway; with the incriminating recording delivered to CTU, Logan prepares to take his own life...until Miles offers him an alternative solution.

With the help of Henderson and a young officer, Jack takes out the terrorists and aborts the missile launch with seconds to spare; Henderson pays for his crimes; and Jack decides he’ll get a confession from the president, no matter what it takes.